Last month we promised to tell you how to do some important things here that, if you are staying here long term, will make your life that much more easy and comfortable. Our good friend Avais Javed has given us valuable information on how to apply for a social security number.

Many people, even those that have been here for years do not know that if they are here and paying tax, they are entitled to the same privileges as Chinese people. In fact did you know that in 2011 there was new legislation regarding protecting the rights of foreigners as far as pensions and social security benefits are involved?

Because this information is so valuable, most of the report is reproduced below as the impact will be enormous. The reports back then said "China plans to include all foreign workers in its social security system starting from July" a senior social security official said. "The move will ensure foreign employees in China enjoy the same social insurance benefits as Chinese nationals do," Xu Yanjun, deputy director of the social security centre with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said at a news conference. Target groups include foreign workers employed by Chinese and overseas-funded enterprises, social groups, law firms and foundations that register in China, as well as foreign workers assigned to China by overseas registered companies.

All foreign employees who work in China for longer than six months must be included in the social security system. Foreign workers will be responsible for some of the premiums, but workers from countries that have signed social insurance agreements with China could avoid paying some of the fees", Xu said. So far, Germany and South Korea have signed such agreements. The new Social Insurance Law specifies that all employees will have the right to basic endowment insurance, basic medical insurance, work injury insurance, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance. Take endowment insurance, for example. In China, workers pay 8 per cent of their wages and employers pay an amount equal to 20 per cent of workers' wages each month to workers' pension accounts. Workers must contribute to the pension accounts for at least 15 years to collect a pension after retiring. Workers and employers also collectively pay workers' medical insurance and unemployment insurance, but employers are responsible for paying for work injury insurance and maternity insurance.

As usual one wonders if these new laws will be enforceable, but it is comforting to know the lengths the government is going to make sure that the law will be obeyed "Any employer who refuses to fund that insurance for employees would incur a fine equal from one to three times the sum of workers' due insurance fees," said Xu. Lu Xuejing, a social security expert at Capital University of Economics and Business, felt that although the government's move will increase employers' burdens, bosses should take the chance to realize that it is their responsibility to pay social security for everyone they employ, no matter where they are from. "The move would help foreign workers enjoy social security benefits in China, especially labourers from developing Southeast Asian countries who could better deal with their medical treatment here," she said.

The good news does not stop there. For someone who has lived and worked here for years paying into a pension, if they return home, all is not lost. The legislation also includes this provision; "For a foreign employee who is eligible to enjoy a pension but has left China, he or she should make arrangements with a Chinese embassy to continue to receive the pension. Chinese law also permits the balance of an individual's pension account to be inherited by his or her offspring". Apparently this can be done in one’s own country simply by taking all the relevant documents and proofs to the Chinese Embassy.

There is however a drawback. Lu said that this move might make employers think more about the cost before hiring foreign workers and she predicted that if the law is strictly put into place there might be a fall in number of foreign employees in China. Think about it, if the law is not being enforced, who is more likely to complain about their rights and report their company? Probably not Chinese people, they do not have a complaints and insisting on their rights culture like we do.

Ok now you have all this fantastic information, what can you do with it? Applying for a social security number is relatively easy, although don’t be surprised that you will have to make several trips to the various offices. Every district has a social security office so you should easily be able to find out yours from the internet, the Chinese name for this department is shè huì bǎo xiǎn （社会保险）. The first thing to do is to establish what their requirements are. Once you know, you can bring the appropriate documents, typically, passport with visa, employment details, proof of residence etc. You will have to pay 5 yuan and then after a short period of time they will give you a letter with a social security number. You then need to take that letter to the Tianjin City Human Resources Department, which is in Hedong District, they have a social security department especially for this. You will need to take some photographs. After 45 days you will have to go back and thereafter you will be expected to make the required monthly contributions. You can either do this in person at the same office, which will be troublesome and if you forget there will be consequences, or a far better way is to let your company handle it, the payments will be taken directly from your monthly salary and you won’t need to worry about it. If you change companies your social security number will be 100% transferable.

It really is that simple, easy when you know how! As stated before the only problem, which is not that big, it just really annoying, is that the various departments often don’t give you the full picture, so for instance they will tell you to come back with two documents, and when you present them, they will tell you "Oh you also need…." Then when you go back with that one, maybe they will say again "You also need to bring…." It would be much easier if they had a list ready to hand to you of everything they need.

Rest assured that this problem does not only affect us, Chinese people also have the same problem regarding this giving of partial information. It makes life difficult for everybody. In fact if you can speak Chinese there is a very interesting video you can look at on China News, http://www.chinanews.com/shipin/2013/10-20/news311643.shtml It discusses this very problem. A survey was carried out amongst Chinese people, who largely all agreed that "办证难" - meaning it is difficult to get this kind of thing done.

Hopefully this information will prove useful to you and next month we will tell you how to apply for a driving licence.

Sources Xinhua, China Briefing.